Among the tracks released for the first time on 45, you’ll find label’s Funk & Soul heavyweights such as “Easy To Come Home” by Sydney funk maestros Dojo Cuts, “Your Love is Mine” by British funk band The New Mastersounds feat. Corinne Bailey Rae and remixed by Nostalgia 77, “50 Foot Woman” by Hannah Williams & The Affirmations, “Soul Connection” by The Diplomats of Solid Sound and “Soul of My Life” by The Tibbs. For the first time on 45 vinyl, there are also two singles from the masters of Cinematic funk Calibro 35: “Stainless Steel” from their legendary album “Traitors” and “Ungwana Bay Launch Complex” from “S.P.A.C.E.”, The Diasonics with “Andromeda”, taken from their debut album “Origin Of Forms”, and Whatitdo Archive Group’s “Blood Chief” from the band’s album “The Black Stone Affair”.
On the reissue’s front, among the rare tracks that by popular demand finally see the light again on 45 vinyl we find: the afrofunk cover of The Arctic Monkeys’ “I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor” by Baby Charles, JB’s classic “Soul Power” by Kokolo remixed by Lack Of Afro, The Bluebeaters with “Catch That Teardrop” and “Toxic (One Drop Version)” singles, northern soul floorshaker “I’m a Good Woman” by Hannah Williams & The Tastemakers and deep funk stormer “I’m Not Your Regular Woman” by Marta Ren & The Groovelvets.
Set up in 2003, side by side with similar imprints like Daptone, Big Crown or Colemine Records and under its motto "The explosive sound from Today's scene", Milan based independent record label and music publishing Record Kicks has proudly been representing the contemporary funk & soul scene from day one. Its catalogue has been source of inspiration to many Rap superstars that sampled Record Kicks releases during the years. Starting with Jay-Z, thanks to whom the label received a Grammy nomination in 2017 for his use of Hannah Williams & The Affirmations' "Late Nights And Heartbreak" as backdrop for his "4:44" album title-track, and proceeding with Dr Dre, who sampled “I consigliori” by Calibro 35 on the track “One Shot One Kill feat Snoop Dogg” on his famed “Compton” album, and Tyler the Creator, who sampled Hannah Williams on his single “Ziplog”.
Many are the albums that made the label’s history in the past twenty years. Beginning with “Late Nights and Heartbreak” (2016) and “50 Foot Woman” (2019) from British “soul hurricane” Hannah Williams & The Affirmations, and continuing with “Traitors” (2013), “S.P.A.C.E.” (2015) and “Decade” (2018) from Calibro 35, which brought the Milan band the reputation of masters of the "cinematic funk" scene. Other essential RK albums are “Soul Run” (2017) and “The Gumption” (2019) from Canadian R&B artist Tanika Charles, thanks to which she received two nominations at the Juno Awards (the Canadian Grammys) and competed with The Weeknd for best R&B/Soul album of the year. Key self-titled debut albums were “Baby Charles” from 2008, which was praised by Pitchfork and Mojo Magazine together with Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators “Keep Reaching Up” on Timmion Records as the albums that defined the new European funk scene of the 2000s and which will be reissued next March 17th and “The Diplomats Of Solid Sound feat. The Diplomettes” from 2009, which featured in the soundtrack of Hollywood blockbuster movie “50/50” with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and which now counts over 30 million plays on Spotify. Equally important releases are “Return Of The Iron Monkey” (2008) by Steve White’s (Style Council) and Damon Minchella’s (Ocean Colour Scene) “Trio Valore” soul jazz project, “Take From Me” (2012) by Australian funkateers Dojo Cuts, “Tribute To My Soul Sisters” (2017) by James Brown’s original soul diva Martha High with Osaka Monaurail or the 12 volumes of the iconic “SoulShaker” and “Let’s Boogaloo” compilations.
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